2021年全球技术渠道诈骗报告（英）-53页_865kb

Global Tech Support Scam Research Summary (July 2021)

Overview

This research, conducted by Microsoft in collaboration with YouGov, aimed to understand the incidence and consequences of four types of technology scams across 16 countries, involving 16,254 adult internet users. The survey, which lasted from May 6-17, 2021, was optimized for both PC and mobile users and averaged 10 minutes in length.

Key Findings

Core Content

• The study focused on the incidence, consequences, monetary, productivity, and psychological impacts of technology support scams.
• It measured how consumers interacted with scams and the actions they took, including whether they lost money, took steps to recover it, or experienced non-monetary effects such as stress and time spent on repairs.

Main Trends

• Global Decline in Scam Interactions: The number of scam interactions globally decreased by 5 percentage points to 59%, mainly due to a drop in pop-up ads (from 45% to 37%) and website redirects (from 37% to 30%).
• Increase in Financial Loss: Despite fewer interactions, 7% of consumers lost money through scams, up from 6% in 2018. The proportion of those asked for SSN and banking information increased, contributing to this trend.
• Consumer Awareness and Trust: Consumers became more skeptical of unsolicited contact, with 79% thinking it unlikely that a reputable company would contact them this way (up 5% from 2018), and 86% unlikely to trust it (up 3%).
• Demographic Vulnerability: Gen Z, Millennials, and Males were still the most vulnerable groups, with a higher likelihood of falling for scams and losing money.
• Risky Online Behavior: These groups were more likely to engage in risky online activities and overestimate their computer literacy, increasing their vulnerability.

Scam Exposure and Consequences

• Actions Taken: Consumers who fell for scams were more likely to:
  • Contact their bank or credit/debit card company
  • Investigate or repair their computer
  • Report the scam to the company or authorities
• Non-Monetary Impact: Those who experienced scams spent more time and money on investigations and repairs, with 79% of scam victims reporting stress.

Trust and Responsibility Perception

• Trust in Reputable Companies: Consumers were less likely to trust the companies scammers impersonated, with 13% believing these companies were responsible for protecting them.
• Consumer Protection Agencies: These were seen as the most responsible for protecting consumers, with 23% of respondents assigning this role to them.
• Government Regulators: 20% of respondents believed government regulators had the greatest responsibility.

Sources of Information

• Search engines and company websites were the top sources for scam information.
• Membership organization websites (e.g., AARP) gained more trust in 2021.
• Social media and email were also used, though less frequently than search engines and company websites.

Country-Specific Insights

• India had the highest increase in scam-related financial loss, with nearly 33% of users losing money.
• Singapore and India saw significant increases in phone scams, while pop-up ads and website redirects declined globally.
• Australia, Brazil, and Spain had notable increases in phone scams.
• Japan had the lowest scam interaction rate, with only 18% of users reporting scam interactions.
• Gen Z and Millennial Males were the most vulnerable across all countries, with a higher likelihood of falling for scams and losing money.

Key Statistics

Conclusion

While the incidence of tech support scams decreased globally, the impact on those who fell for them remained significant, with increased financial loss and stress. Younger generations and males were disproportionately affected, and there was a shift in trust and responsibility perception, with consumers increasingly turning to consumer protection agencies and membership organizations for help. The internet and search engines were the most commonly used resources for scam information, highlighting the need for better digital literacy and awareness campaigns.